Judge Blocks Trump Officials From Freezing Billions in Social Services Funds

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: New York Times

Jan. 9, 2026, 6:28 p.m. ET


A federal judge in New York temporarily blocked the Trump administration from freezing roughly $10 billion in federal funding for child care and social services destined for five Democratic-led states, keeping funds flowing until a lawsuit against the government can progress.

In a brief order on Friday, Judge Arun Subramanian directed the Trump administration to release funds for three social services programs it had planned to withhold for the next two weeks while a legal challenge by the affected states continues.

The decision came less than a day after the five states affected — New York, California, Minnesota, Illinois and Colorado — filed a lawsuit arguing that the freeze could create havoc among families with young children.

According to the suit, on Jan. 5 and 6, officials in the five states received letters notifying them of an immediate pause in funding for three major programs that serve low-income families and individuals with disabilities. That included around $7.3 billion through the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program, as well as nearly $2.4 billion from the Child Care and Development Fund, in addition to a number of smaller social service grants.

Read more: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/09/us/politics/trump-child-care-funding-freeze.html

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No paywall (gift)

Link to ORDER (PDF) - https://www.politico.com/f/?id=0000019b-a517-da56-afff-ad97cf2a0000

REFERENCE - https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143595639

[underpants]

1. Suck it Trump! You too Miller.

[vapor2]

3. Miller has to be the Anti Christ

[paleotn]

5. He's chairman of Jews for Hitler.

[cstanleytech]

10. I suspect it's more like he wishes he was.

[Timewas]

2. Why

Why are they always "temporary" blocks?

[paleotn]

4. Case has to play out in court. While that's going on....

the money continues to flow. Not unusual in cases where the jackass side of the case, the regime in this case, is probably going to lose.

[Bluetus]

7. I suppose it is because the judge feel obliged to give the defendant an opportunity to respond

and I hope the judge is making it clear that the burden is on the government to show that they are administering these funds on a transparent, equitable, and objective basis. Of course, they cannot show that because they are doing the opposite, but the judge feels he will be in a stronger position vis-a-vis appeals if he gives the government a fair opportunity to show their argument has any merit.

The fact that this ruling came so quickly is a strong indication that the judge is not persuaded by the government's position. Judges don't like to be overturned, so they usually go out of their way to give the weak side their best possible shot. But in this case, the judge apparently ruled that the odds were that the government would not prevail, hence restraining their cutoff of funds.

[paleotn]

6. And NY, CA, MN, CO and IL all send more money to DC than they get back in federal spending.

When all this is over, and it will end, it's time to rethink who gets what. In my mind, red states either bring their state tax systems into the 21st century, and generate resources for themselves, or get cut off. I'm tired of subsidizing fascist state governments. Let them live like District 12 if they choose. Cruel, vindictive....yes. I'm simply tired of their shit. They all help bring this disaster on our country. There needs to be payback.

[Bluetus]

8. Not just their tax systems, but

their labor laws, their education system, their environmental laws, their gun laws and everything else up to a modern standard, such as we have is the blue states and practically all the advanced European states.

One might say, "This is impossible. That will take at least a 60-vote majority in the Senate and probably some Constitutional amendments".

Maybe, maybe not. There is great economic power in the blue states and we need to start using it. Some people call this a "soft secession." I prefer to think of it as less of a secession, and more of a case of "adult's table" and a "kiddie's table" at Thankgiving. To get the full benefit of the entrepreneurship and economic power of the blue states, the lesser states must make changes that will uplift their people and allow the blue states to stop carrying them year after year.

[mysteryowl]

9. Good, hope it holds.